Applied Limnology MSc Programme

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österreich
Hernals
Applied Limnology MSc Programme

This Master program conveys basic and applied knowledge of aquatic ecosystems (streams and lakes).

18/05/2026

Hands-on experience in Lunz am See. Students in our „Applied Freshwater Ecology“ course are learning habitat mapping techniques firsthand. They are using field methods to study the eco- and hydromorphology of the „Oberer Lunzer Seebach“.

29/04/2026

Krass, krasser, Dinocras!
At the Applied Freshwater Ecology lecture in Lunz am See, students from various bachelor’s programs had the opportunity to gain insights into what the Applied Limnology master’s program has to offer.
A key focus of the program are benthic invertebrates — an incredibly diverse and interessting group of animals. Beyond their role as bioindicators for assessing water quality, these organisms are fundamental for functioning river-ecosystems.

11/03/2026

In his master’s thesis, Georg Rabl tested a life‑cycle‑based reintroduction in the middle Kamp: artificial spawning grounds at Wegscheid and Steinegg, 2,000 eggs from a native headwater stock, and continuous monitoring of temperature, daylight, and discharge.

Emergence of larvae was primarily driven by daylight and warm daytime temperatures, while cold‑water inflows reduced thermal variability and weakened emergence signals. Larvae was shown to disperse quickly downstream and used shallow, low‑velocity margins. The juveniles also showed consistent growth. A key bottleneck remains the limited availability of functional spawning habitats under altered sediment and flow regime. This highlights the need for adaptive monitoring, thoughtful stocking, and hydromorphological restoration.

04/02/2026

How do you study animals that spend most of their lives hidden under stones, roots, and muddy banks?

As part of his Master’s in Wildlife Ecology and Wildlife Management, Paul Krainer evaluated a novel sampling technique to improve how we assess freshwater populations in small streams. In three streams of the Biosphere Reserve Wienerwald, the Pritchard Trap was tested to collect reliable data on signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) and European bullheads (Cottus gobio).

The method proved especially promising for crayfish, allowing robust estimates of abundance as well as s*x and age structure. Sampling bullheads, however, remained challenging, reminding us how difficult it can be to monitor cryptic fish species in complex habitats. Field ecology often means refining methods step by step, because better data ultimately leads to better conservation decisions.

We are grateful for the support of the Biosphärenpark Wienerwald, Österreichische Bundesforste and forum flusskrebse throughout this project.

Bullhead CottusGobio Astacus Fieldwork SamplingMethods Biodiversity ConservationScience AquaticEcology StreamEcology MasterThesis ResearchLife Wienerwald BiosphereReserve ÖBf

29/10/2025

Despite cold weather and low discharge of the River Ois, a group of students travelled to Lunz to attend the course “River Habitat and Landscape Assessment.” The course provides an overview of the diverse habitats found within and alongside the river. During the fieldwork, various methods of mapping and habitat characterization were applied, gaining valuable insights into the processes of a relatively undisturbed river system.

The group work was supported by drone technology, which was used to produce up-to-date orthophotos and 3D scans of the river’s surface morphology.

Overall, the three days in Lunz were highly productive and made a valuable contribution to the long-term monitoring of stream morphology dynamics.

26/06/2025

🌊Which effect does the newly built run-of-the-river power plant GKI in the Upper Inn Valley have on the migratory behaviour of grayling?
One of our Master's students is looking to find out!

Hydropeaking waves from upstream in the river should be buffered and a more constant discharge established.
As part of a monitoring programme regarding ecology and hydrology, Grayling have been tagged with VHF transmitters and located monthly, in spawning time daily, to see changes in migration behaviour and habitat choice.

By comparing these results to a similar thesis done before the commissioning this master thesis helps to evaluate the effects of the changed water regime on grayling.

25/06/2025

📍Aquatic habitat modelling at the Ois in Lunz:
Neither rain nor a water temperature of just under 11° C could stop the students from trying out the snorkelling equipment on the first day of the course.
Over the next two days, the data was recorded in fine weather.

The task of the course participants was to identify and mark the microhabitats of brown trout while snorkelling, and to measure the abiotic factors (flow velocity, water depth and substrate, etc.) at each location.

This allows the habitat requirements of different age stages to be characterised, and potential habitats in a river course can be modelled.
During night snorkelling, we were able to observe the changed behaviour of the fish in the dark, an extraordinary experience!

18/06/2025

Anna, one of our Applied Limnology students, is investigating how wave action from river navigation affects benthic algal communities at different shoreline zones in the Austrian Danube.

🌊 By comparing exposed and protected shoreline sites, she analyzes how waves influence algal biomass, pigment composition, photosynthetic activity, and enzyme activity.
This research sheds light on the structural and functional responses of periphyton to physical disturbance caused by wave action in a large river ecosystem.

14/06/2025

📍With the topic of “Spatial patterns of greenhouse gas emissions in a floodplain system” Nadija Cehajic is looking into the complexity driving factors of CO2 and methane emissions from water bodies in the national park DonauAuen.
This research will deepen the understanding of how river lateral connectivity influences biogeochemical processes in the floodplain.

11/06/2025

🧬 High-tech eDNA & Bulk DNA metabarcoding vs classic kick-net sampling - for this master thesis we are putting river monitoring methods to the test across different river types in Austria🌊

Adresse

Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33
Hernals
1180

Webseite

https://boku.ac.at/studienservices/studien/master-en/uh066448

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